In the End
by AjAwkwardsauce
Summary: A post-apocalyptic tale of the Victorious nature. There are two major rule-makers and they both want one thing: Tori Vega.
1. Chapter 1

**I'm about 10% sure you all hate me because I keep starting new Jori fics. I'm sorry, I just really like this idea. **

She ran down the subway and slid down the stairway railing. Her feet pounded on the ground as she gasped for breath. She couldn't run any further and she turned the corner and pressed her back against the cold cement wall. She clutched the bottle of water to her chest. Two men ran around the corner and grabbed her arms.

"Do you think it's okay to steal from us?" The tallest one asked.

"No, no - I - uh," she stuttered. The other man grabbed the water from her.

"Are you lying to us now?" He cocked an eyebrow.

"I think you need to apologize for how rude you've been?" The man holding her arm pushed her against wall.

"No, please!" She yelled.

"She's a bit scrawny but it'll do." The other man leered.

"Hey!" A woman yelled. The black haired female grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back.

"You are in my territory! I don't appreciate you trespassing and I especially dislike you treating this girl the way you are." She whispered into his ear.

"She stole from us!" The man grunted.

"I believe you stole this from me." She yanked the water bottle out of his hand and shoved him away from her.

"No we didn't." The man rubbed his arm where her nails pierced his skin.

"Prove it." She bared her teeth.

"Fine, but you better watch your back when you're out of these tunnels." The man pointed to the shaking girl who was now sobbing on the ground. The men turned around and left the subway station. The woman extended her hand out to the girl.

"I'm Jade." She said as the girl looked up at her through the curtain her hair formed around her face.

"Tori?" Her breath hitched. "Oh, my God." She sank to her knees. Tori's normally glowing tan skin was shallow and grey tinted. She had a deep gouge in her neck and her hair was short and shaggy. Her bones poked through her sickly skin and her breathing was ragged.

"Jade," inhale, exhale, "I missed," inhale, exhale, "you." She broke out into a coughing fit.

"Come on Tori." Jade hooked her arm around Tori's back and half carried her back to one of the control stations where her crew was staying.

"Jade! Robbie is trying to sleep in my sleeping bag!" Cat cried as she ran out of the large room.

"Oh who is that?" She stopped and pointed to Tori as Jade carried the sickly woman in her arms.

"Cat, go get the first aid kit." She ordered as she carried Tori into the back room. She stretched her out on the table and peeled her jacket off and tossed it in the trash. Her clothes were filthy and ripped. Cat ran into the room holding an old suitcase in her arms.

"First aid kit!" She cheered.

"Oh!" She exclaimed looking at Tori. "Who is she? Where'd you find her?" Cat helped Jade pull the mud caked shoes from Tori's feet.

"Cat, it's Tori." Jade said through her teeth.

"Who's Tori?" Cat pulled the woman's socks off as well.

"This is Tori." Jade clarified searching through the suitcase.

"Tori!" Cat squeaked and moved up to her head.

"She looks so different." She said as she pushed back Tori's blood caked hair.

"Cat, go boil me two pots of rain water." Jade ordered and pushed the girl out of the room.

"Come on Vega, I've seen you live through worse." Jade urged as she threw the last of her clothing in the garbage can.

After being cleaned, having her wounds treated, and being redressed Tori looked healthier, albeit very skinny, but not so half-dead. Jade elected to stay with her over night, just in case she woke up. However, the emaciated woman slept soundly until very early hours of the morning.

The sun had just peeked over the edges of the smoking rubble above ground when Tori opened her eyes and let out an ear piercing scream. Jade jumped from her not-so-comfortable spot on the bench to try to sooth the writhing woman.

"Tori calm down, you're safe here." She grabbed her arms and shoved her down to the table.

"No!" Tori screeched.

"Vega!" Jade's voice boomed around the tiny room. Tori's eyes widened as she stared up at Jade. Suddenly she started to cry and Jade pulled her into her arms.

"You're going to be okay." She sighed and began to rock her back and forth. Eventually, after getting her back to sleep Jade placed Andre in with Tori.

"If she wakes up yell for me; I won't be far." Jade ordered. Andre nodded his head

"Will do." He said before closing the metal door. Jade sighed and cracked her neck. She felt disgusting. She hadn't bathed in at least a week and she needed to do something about the rat's nest on her head. Her bones creaked as she rifled through her duffle bag and pulled out a pair of black cargo pants and a gray tank top. On her way to the river she borrowed a brush and a knife from one of the new girls.

She took her time stripping the clothing off of her skin. Once she was completely nude she stepped into the cold river water. It awakened her pores as the icy water flowed over her grimy skin. She sighed and leaned her head back to soak her hair. She stayed like that for several minutes, just breathing and allowing her aching muscles to unwind. Running a survivor's camp was rough.

Finally she started to rake the brush through her tangled hair. When it was smooth and she got all the knots out she grabbed the knife and started hacking her hair off. It was so long and heavy, she hoped that cutting it off would aid her somehow, but really she was tired of it being an old symbol of beauty. The world had ended, nothing was beautiful anymore.

When the last strands of her once long tresses flowed downstream she emerged from the water with a blue tint to her pale skin. She shivered violently as she pulled on her clothing and shoved her feet into her combat boots. It took her the entire walk home to warm her skin from the freezing river.

The camp was mostly up and moving by the time Jade returned and word had gotten around that someone was brought in during the night.

"Who is it?" Was asked several times.

"How old are they?"

"Where did they come from?"

Jade turned around to find a crowd following her.

"It is none of your business who has joined our camp. If it becomes your business you will be notified. If you go looking for details before any are revealed to you I will personally take you above ground and let the gangs tear you apart. Now get back to work or leave this camp!" She yelled. The people immediately scuttled away and she was left with Cat looking at her with wide eyes.

"Cat." Jade groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Can I help with anything?" She asked hopefully.

"Get me two meals, mostly fruit, and three bottles of water." Jade turned on her heel and marched off in the direction of the makeshift hospital room. She opened the door and Andre jumped up into attention.

"Relax, Andre, go eat." She told him wearily.

"Okay, cool." He said before walking out. Jade exhaled and closed the door.

"Hey, Tori." She shook the woman's shoulder lightly.

"Tori wake up." She said softly. Tori's eyes opened and a smile slid into her face.

"I finally died." She whispered hoarsely. Jade shook her head.

"Not yet, Princess. Now sit up, you've gotta eat something." Jade helped her move into a sitting position. Cat walked in moments later balancing two trays and three bottles of water.

"Here you go, Jadey!" Cat smiled as she kicked the door shut. Jade grimaced and took the offered food.

"Thank you." She peeled a banana and held it out to Tori. Tori took it in her hand unsteadily and began to eat it hungrily.

"Cat, shouldn't you be opening the daycare by now?" Jade asked the woman who was playing with a lock of her faded red hair.

"Yeah." She answered sheepishly.

"Then why are you still here?" Jade questioned using all of her self control not to snap at her.

"Because I missed Tori." She reached out for the woman who was ravishing a bowl of oatmeal.

"No." Jade said in a warning tone as she hooked her arm around Cat's midsection. "Don't touch her." She ordered and pushed her out the door.

"Now go play with the kiddies to keep them busy." Jade shooed her away before once again closing the door. She leaned her forehead against the cool metal and slowly inhaled.

"I like your hair short." Tori said breaking the silence. Jade turned around and looked the woman up and down. Tori's grey tank top hung from her boney shoulders in a very unflattering way and Jade was sure that if she stood up the cargo pants would slide right off her hips.

"Needed a change." Jade offered as reasoning as she stepped forward. Tori shrugged and it seemed to take a lot of effort for her to do so.

"Still nice." She commented and took another spoonful of watery oatmeal.

"How do you feel?" Jade changed the subject.

"A lot better than before. Thanks, for, you know, taking care of me." She said. Now it was Jade's turn to shrug.

"It's no big deal." She said blowing off the thanks.

"Where have you been for the past few months?" Jade asked. Or at least she thought months had passed. She wasn't exactly sure because she didn't have a calendar and getting to next week wasn't as important as living through the current day.

"I had been living on the streets for a while, stealing and sleeping in trees, but I found a gang that actually wanted skinny tiny me. They only wanted me to crawl into small places that belong to other gangs. I took the job, I mean, Hell, I needed the food and shelter. Unfortunately, I got caught; I was being starved and tortured. My hands got so skinny they slipped right out of the cuffs. So I ran. I just escaped a day before you found me." She drank the bottle of water and quickly followed it with a second one. Jade sighed. Above ground seemed to be getting worse and worse with each story Newcomers brought.

"Well, you'll be put to use here in a better way. We don't steal, we actually are connected to several other Survivors' Camps and we trade people, goods and supplies through the subway networks. We are trying to clear out the south tunnels because right now we can only go north and east but it's tough to get enough able bodied men to work on the Clearing Crew and enough to put on our Patrol Team." Jade took a bite of an apple.

"Did you start this all by yourself?" Tori asked.

"Yeah, well, at least it was my idea, Beck and Andre helped me round up people to help make this place livable." She answered. "Do you want me to take you out and show you around?" She asked. "Everyone should be out at their stations by now." Jade opened the door. Tori's eyes darted fearfully between Jade and the door.

"I'll help you." Jade extended her arm to assist Tori with getting down from the table. The combat boots on her feet were new and squeaked as she walked.

"Okay, over here, is where you will be staying when I deem you fit enough to be out of confinement." She smirked. Tori raised an eyebrow in question.

"It will give the camp some time to get used to a newcomer. They get excited easily." She chuckled and moved into a room with several sleeping bags on cots.

"It seems unfair, but it's only the gang in here. It'll be you, me, Andre, Beck, Robbie and Cat." Jade pointed to each cot when she said a name.

"Why nobody else?" Tori asked.

"Because I feel safe with you guys. Besides, everyone can choose where they want to make their home down here, as long as it doesn't interfere with camp life." Jade started to guide her out of the room but Tori stopped her and stared at her.

"What if I wanted to stay somewhere else? You didn't even ask me." She said.

"Because I don't want you staying anywhere else." Jade said without thinking. "Shit, I never said that."

"Do you have something you want to tell me?" Tori asked coyly.

"No!" Jade snapped. "This tour is over."

"Okay, okay, you never said anything, please continue showing me around." Tori tugged on Jade's arm.

"Alright," she pulled her along again. She showed her where the food stations were and explained when people were given their rations and who received what rations. She drifted near where the clothing was washed and dried before being issued back out into the community and remarked to Tori that she wasn't fitting the standard issued clothing very well. She walked her through the East tunnel where the children's wing was located.

"I've been thinking about it and I want you to teach the kids." Jade said on their way back.

"What?" Tori asked.

"We're getting more and more kids and there are only four teachers. All the children who are between four and fourteen are lumped together in one class; I want them separated by grade levels." She paused and looked at Tori. "I think you would be great with the kids. And they really need a teacher." Jade pleaded with her tone.

"Okay, fine, when I can walk without you holding me up I will go ahead and teach." She replied.

"Thanks Tori." Jade smiled and helped her into the cot that was moved in place of the table. Tori nodded slowly and started to drift off to sleep.

"Jade?" She yawned.

"Huh." Jade grunted as she checked on Tori's neck wound.

"Never mind, it's silly." She replied her voice was thick with sleep. Jade rolled her eyes and put a new bandage over her skin.

"No, what is it?"

"I love you." Tori answered sleepily. Jade narrowed her eyes and stared down at the woman.

"What?" She sounded skeptical. Tori was sound asleep and did not answer. She shook her head and pulled the blanket over Tori's skinny body.

She pulled the door closed behind her and nearly ran into the woman standing in front of her.

"Tracy, what are you doing here, shouldn't you be working in the hospital wing?" She asked looking over the slender woman. She wore a pair of standard issue brown cargo pants and a black tank top with a black jacket over top and her blonde hair was shaved short. Tracy scoffed.

"Why is she so special?" She bobbed her head in the direction of the door behind Jade.

"Who?" Jade crossed her arms over her chest.

"That woman." Tracy rolled her eyes.

"She is a friend." Jade answered.

"Why didn't you bring her to the Wing? She clearly needs medical help. You are keeping her hidden from the camp like she's some piece of treasure." Tracy was taller than Jade but she was a year younger and she let her temper fuel her decisions.

"She's got a case of malnutrition, and a few stitches in her neck; nothing I can't handle. You stick to the more serious cases that actually need you." Jade scoffed. Tracy's jaw was forced out as she held in her thoughts.

"Just bring her by before you let her out among the community, I have to make sure she's up to date on her shots." She ordered.

"Okay, I'll do that." Jade nodded and started off in the opposite direction. She made her way to the North Tunnel and at the entrance Beck stepped out of the shadows.

"Hey." He smiled at her and set the gun in his arms down.

"How's it going down here?" She asked.

"Patrol is going smoothly. Not many people come down here anymore unless they want to help us; I think they finally understand they can't steal from us." He said quietly. Jade shook her head.

"I think She's trying to gather people." She sighed. "I want you to get a few of the Patrol together and go above ground. Just check things out for me. I would go up there myself, but with Tori being here I don't trust her in the camp on her own." She glanced around the tunnel.

"Tori's here?" He asked.

"Yeah, I found her yesterday, she's weak though and I don't want her out here until she can handle it."

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" He ran his hand through his hair and narrowed his eyes at her.

"I don't know, I didn't think about it. She only showed up last night Beck. Just get a crew together and stop questioning my motives." She snapped and turned around. Beck grabbed her shoulder and pulled her around to face him

"Don't let the stupidity you seem to always get around her screw up what we've got going on here." He demanded.

"And what exactly do you mean by that?" She growled.

"I'm saying that we have a really good thing here, people finally feel safe and I don't want your little crush to mess everything up. You need to keep a cool head and run this camp." He said through his teeth.

"Beck, you don't seem to know me well at all." Jade seethed. "I will not allow anyone control me, not even you." She punctuated her statement with a curt head nod and left Beck to patrol the North tunnel angrily.

Jade stopped at the Food Station on her way back to the main camp.

"Give me two meals and three bottles of water." She said to the man standing at the counter.

"This for the little lady in that room?" He asked with a leering grin.

"Oh, shut up Bill, you could be her father." She told him grabbing the trays and balancing the bottles of water on top.

"That has never stopped me from trying." He laughed and handed over a tray to the man behind her.

"You're lucky I let you stay here, you pervert." Jade rolled her eyes and started towards Tori's room.

She woke Tori up and handed her a tray with a sandwich and an apple on it.

"Enjoy." She said as she sat across from her cot on the bench.

"Thanks." She smiled and bit into the thin bread and meat. Jade nodded her head and started to eat her lunch unenthusiastically.

"Are you okay?" Tori asked through a mouthful of food. Jade shrugged.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She replied.

"When was the last time you slept?" Tori questioned setting her tray on the floor beside the stiff cot.

"Two days ago." Jade answered with an air of nonchalance. Tori's mouth dropped open.

"Jade, you need to sleep." She told her. Jade was leaning against the wall with her eyes closed in a general stance of relaxed nature. Her legs were crossed at the ankles, right over left and her arms resting in her lap. But Tori could see how tense she really was. Her shoulders were hard set and her foot continued to jiggle restlessly. Tori exhaled slowly and stood up.

Her body was shaky but she managed to stay upright.

"Come on; let's get you to your bed." She tugged on Jade's arm lightly. Jade's eyes snapped open and she sat up quickly throwing Tori off balance. She started to fall backwards but Jade bolted up and wrapped her arms around the thin woman's waist to steady her.

"Did you really expect to be able to take me to my room when you barely carry what little weight you have?" Jade chuckled. Tori laughed nervously in their close embrace.

"I don't know, you need to rest." She blushed. Jade pushed her down on the cot.

"No, you need to rest. You need to get your strength up." She told her. Tori grabbed her arm and yanked her down. Jade lost her balance and toppled over and landed over Tori.

"If you insist on staying here, the least you can do is keep me warm." She said. "These blankets do nothing." Jade adjusted herself around the boney female and sighed.

"Fine." She pulled the thin thermal over her shoulders and wrapped her arms around Tori's waist. Both women fell asleep quickly and were unaware of the storm brewing above.


	2. Chapter 2

Above ground was in shambles. The buildings that were standing were war zones. Streets were broken and unable to be traveled on due to the bombs that had been dropped on them. Empty fields became death traps as local gangs buried land mines beneath the ground. In an old abandoned school Trina Vega sat behind the principal's desk and stared at herself in a handheld mirror.

"Boss?" A knock at the door alerted her to the woman's head poking through the crack.

"What is it?" Trina snapped.

"Justin and Rick are here." The woman replied. Trina smiled and deposited the mirror into the desk drawer and nodded her head.

"Send them in." She ordered. Two men walked through the door and flinched when it closed behind them. It clicked as the lock was flipped and the taller of the men, Justin, swallowed roughly.

"My baby sister has gone down into the tunnels." Trina stood up and moved around her desk.

"My sources have informed me that you two were the dumb-asses that forced her down there, and that makes me very unhappy." She tsked.

"Yeah, well, she stole from us. She can't do that! I don't care whose sister she is." Justin said puffing out his chest.

"Justin," Trina purred as she stepped closer to the men, "Baby, who is the reason you have anything at all?" She ran her index finger under his scruffy chin.

"You." He bit back.

"Exactly." She grabbed his neck and squeezed her hand around it. Justin's eyes widened and he clawed at her arm.

"You're going to get my sister back." She seethed and threw him onto the ground.

"But Jade's watching her." Rick scratched the back of his neck nervously.

"I know, I have some people on the inside. Not only is Jade watching her, she is keeping her under complete supervision." Trina folded her hands behind her back. "I want you to bring my sister to me. Or you better find your way out of Hollywood, because you won't live if you don't bring her back to me."

"We wouldn't live to get out of this town, the only way out is to go through the tunnels, unless we want to be blown up." Rick spoke up again.

"Then I guess you should go get my sister." Trina knocked twice on the door.

"Now get out." She said as the door unlocked and was opened. The two men left immediately. There was another knock on the door as Trina sat down. She groaned and propped her feet on the desk.

"Come in!" She barked. The door was opened and Sinjin walked into the room.

"What do you want Sinjit?" Trina demanded.

"The gang that tortured your sister is in the holding cell." He informed her. She smiled and nodded.

"Chain them up and let them get as thin as my sister, then you can let them back out onto the streets." She cracked her knuckles and positioned her hands behind her head.

"Shoo." She waved him away and the skittish boy darted from her office with a slam of the door.

Hours later when Jade awoke her face was buried in Tori's neck. The other woman was already awake and she had been playing with Jade's hair.

"I really do like your hair short like this; it makes you look older and more sophisticated." She spoke quietly. Jade considered moving but decided against it.

"I think the world falling apart did that." She replied. One of Tori's bones, Jade thought it might be a hip, was digging into her side and she had to move. She started to reposition herself but fell out of the cot and onto the cement floor. Tori erupted into a fit of laughter and rolled onto her side.

"You okay?" She asked still chortling softly. Jade grumbled as she pushed herself off the ground.

"Yeah. I have some things to take care of out there." She hitched her thumb in the direction of the door.

"Aw, can I come with you, I'm so bored." Tori pleaded as she sat up. Jade shook her head.

"Not yet, tomorrow." She paused and glanced over her shoulder.

"I'll be back with dinner in a little while." She told Tori before exiting the room. Tori sighed heavily and stretched out on the uncomfortable cot again.

Jade closed the door behind her and looked around the center of the camp. People who had already finished their jobs were milling about; talking, playing and relaxing. Children who were off from school were running around and jumping on the subway tracks while their mothers' feet dangled over the edge of the platform. Groups formed around fires and spoke about the passing day. It might be blazing hot above the ground, but encased in cement and darkness there was a palpable chill in the air.

Jade crossed the makeshift bridge to reach the other platform and headed towards a room with the windows plastered with newspapers to keep prying eyes out. She opened the door and chuckled as Cat and Robbie jumped apart.

"I though you didn't like how Robbie played Pirates." Her hands crossed over her chest. Cat hastily pulled her shirt over her head and back further away from Robbie.

"Sometimes it's fun." She murmured sheepishly. Jade smiled.

"That's fine Cat, but I need to talk to Robbie." She gestured to the door and Cat hurried passed her without another word.

"Is it working yet?" Jade implored while shutting the door. Robbie buttoned his shirt swiftly and ran a hand through his unruly curls.

"No, I'm having trouble figuring out the cross wires and the circuits keep frying." He answered. Jade nodded slowly.

"How much longer do you think it is going to take?" She ran her hand over the stainless steel table in the center of the small room.

"I don't know, it took me two months to get the ones that keep this place running to work." He said wearily. Jade sighed and looked over at the window where shadows danced on the faded and dirty newspaper.

"Okay, well, let me know if you get it working. I would like to get another generator in the hospital wing. I don't like how often power flickers around here." She reached for the doorknob.

"Are you okay Jade?" Robbie asked softly. Jade glanced over her shoulder at the boy.

"Yeah, I'm good. There is just a lot of work to be done around here." She replied.

"You know, we can't stay down here forever. Those kids need sunshine; we all do." He told her. Jade turned back to the door and stared at the dented metal.

"I know," she leaned her head against the door, "I'm trying." She finished and pulled open the door before leaving Robbie alone in the control room.

Trina stood outside underneath the cover of an old McDonalds. Fighter jets flew loudly above her. She heard the far away sound of a bomb dropping and the ground shook beneath her feet. Minutes later a woman walked up with her hands shoved into her jacket pockets. She kept her head down and her hood up on her shaved head to shield her from the dust. When she met Trina under the ripped awning she pulled her hands out of her pockets. She held a box of needles in one and a bottle of pills in the other.

"Tetanus shots and penicillin," she said quietly, "as per your request." Trina dropped the offered items into the messenger bag at her hip.

"How is she?" Trina questioned immediately.

"I haven't had the chance to see her yet. Jade has been with her for hours. I don't know what they're doing but that is how I got away." She sighed. "I did, however, tell her to bring Tori to me before letting her out among the community." Trina nodded curtly.

"Good." She squinted as she peered out into the distance. Dust that still hadn't settled hovered in the sky casting an eerie light to the air.

"Let me know how she's doing, and I want her out of there as soon as we can manage." The woman nodded.

"We'll get her out." She assured.

"Thanks Trace." Trina smiled. The earth shook again as another bomb was dropped.

"What are they even trying to hit?" Tracy asked while both women looked over the ash covered ground around them.

"Civilians. They don't want us reproducing because of the radiation poisoning a lot of us have." Trina sighed heavily. "Instead of testing; it's easier to bomb us." Tracy stared in silence. Another round of jets flew overhead and Trina cracked her knuckles. The sounds of engines were loud around them.

"You have to find us an opening." Trina said suddenly.

"I told you; I can't do that, she's got the tunnels patrolled twenty-four-seven." Tracy replied.

"They will be bringing tanks through here in the next week. I cannot hide seventy people from an army in a school." Trina said desperately.

"How are we supposed to get seventy people down there without Jade knowing?" Tracy pushed her hands back into her pockets.

"These people expect me to help them." Trina pleaded softly.

"I'm sorry. I've got to get back. Jade is going to notice that I'm gone." Tracy stepped out of the shade and Trina grabbed her arm.

"Take care of my sister. I don't know what Jade wants with her but I don't want her hurt." Tracy nodded and yanked her arm free. She hurried back to the closest subway entrance.

As soon as she reached the main camp Tracy knew something was wrong. The people were huddled together and children were screaming.

"What is going on here?" She asked. Jade rounded a corner and nearly ran into her.

"Tracy, where have you been?" Jade snapped. "The North Tunnel collapsed. They need your help!" Jade explained. Tracy jumped into action and ran to get her medical supplies. By the time she reached the tunnel men were being pulled out of the rubble. Several were dead and many were injured. Tracy dropped to her knees beside Beck. She examined him quickly.

"Beck, you've got a broken leg." She told him as she pulled out two sturdy strips of metal from her bag. "I have to set the bone or it will heal wrong. This will probably hurt a lot." She said placing one of the sheets of metal under his leg. She rubbed his calf slowly to feel the bone. Suddenly she pushed down and there was a loud crack. Beck screamed as Tracy pressed the second piece of metal to his skin and wrapped the medical tape tightly around it.

"Don't move." She directed and moved to the next person. While she was attending to a head wound her name was shouted.

"Get over here now!" Was screamed. She rushed to Jade's side where she kneeled over the limp body of Cat.

"Help her!" She wailed. Tracy stared down at the small women. Cat coughed and blood bubbled from her throat.

"Oh God!" Jade's hand flies to cover her mouth. "Cat hold on." She ordered. She glared at Tracy.

"Why aren't you helping her?" Her voice was raw with emotion.

"There is nothing I can do. We don't have the equipment to handle internal bleeding." Tracy answered sadly.

"Jade," Cat's voice was gargled as she struggled to speak, "will you tell Robbie I love him?" Jade nodded, tears dripping down her face.

"And," her breathing was ragged, "tell Tori," she breathed slowly, "you love her." Her breath exhaled too long and her eyes went black.

"Cat!" Jade screamed. Tracy placed a hand on Jade's shoulder. Jade shook her off.

"Come on Jade, don't stay here." She pulled her up. Jade started to cry harder and her body convulsed in Tracy's arms. She ordered her assistants to tend to the other wounded as she took Jade back to the main camp. She headed toward Jade's quarters but Jade shook her head frantically.

"Let go!" She stumbled to Tori's room and disappeared behind the metal.

Tori awoke as her door slammed shut.

"Jade?" Tori sounded alarmed as she took in the woman's disheveled appearance.

"What's wrong?" She asked. Jade lurched forward into Tori's arms.

"Cat," Jade sobbed, "is dead!"

"What!" Tori's jaw dropped open.

"She was in the North Tunnel when it collapsed." Jade buried her head in Tori's neck.

"Oh my God." Tori whispered and wrapped her arms around Jade's back.


	3. Chapter 3

It was well into night by the time Tracy helped everyone home or to the hospital wing. She walked slowly to Tori's room with a pack on her shoulders and knocked on the door. The metal clanged hollowly. Seconds later Tori opened the door and looked Tracy up and down.

"Uhm, hello?" She said suspiciously.

"I'm here to check on Jade." Tracy told her. Tori nodded and stepped back. Tracy entered the small room and shrugged the pack off her shoulders.

"I brought you both something to eat, but I'd rather not wake her." She dug through her bag and pulled out two containers.

"Thanks." Tori set both containers on the bench beside her. She glanced worriedly at Jade who looked as if she had been crying for hours. The skin around her eyes was red and swollen.

"How is she?" Tracy questioned.

"Awful. She didn't stop crying until she fell asleep." Tori answered. Tracy acknowledged her with a bob of her head as she looked over Jade.

"I need you to eat that before I leave." Tracy gestured toward the Styrofoam boxes. Tori picked up the first one.

"Okay." She began to eat the cold chicken sandwich and Tracy watched her from the other side of the room.

"You look so much like your sister." Tracy told Tori and she froze mid-chew and swallowed the bite roughly.

"You know my sister?" She asked fearfully. Tracy nodded.

"We were close friends at HA." She said. Tori relaxed slightly.

"Yeah, well, you wouldn't like her now." Tori replied. Tracy's brows furrowed.

"Why?" She implored.

"She's changed. She is cold-hearted and cruel. She kills people and I refuse to let her protect me because she doesn't care about anyone else. She thinks the ends justify the means." Tori responded darkly before returning to the sandwich in her hands.

"You don't really believe that do you?" Tracy frowned.

"Of course I do, she may be my sister but she is willing to murder in order to reach her goals." Tori sighed. "Other people are worthless to her unless they can do something for her." She finished angrily. Tracy leaned against the wall.

"You haven't seen her in a while though, right?" Tracy reasoned.

"It doesn't matter. When I stayed with her for one week she ordered the deaths of twenty people." Tori answered.

"I'm sure she had a reason." Tracy tried to justify.

"There is no reason!" Tori stood up. "Look, I know she was your friend, but if you got in her way she would kill you." Tracy chewed on the inside of her cheek to keep from making an outburst.

"Wow, I didn't know, I would never expect that from Trina." She moved away from the wall. "You should get some rest." She advised and Tori nodded.

"Yeah, sure." She agreed. Tracy pulled her pack on and left Tori alone with slumbering Jade. Tori sighed with exhaustion and slipped into the cot. Jade shifted and wrapped her arms around Tori.

XxXxXxXxX

It took two days for Tori to convince Jade to get out of bed. She spent most of her time sleeping but every few hours she would wake up and cry. Tori held her and tried to soothe her.

"It's going to be okay." She assured. Jade shook her head.

"You don't understand, Cat told me to do something and I just don't know if I can." She wiped at her cheeks.

"What is it?" Tori asked.

"I can't tell you!" Jade rested her head on Tori's shoulder, "and that's the problem."

"I don't understand." Tori said.

"I feel so bad because it's her last wish and I can't even do it for her." She sighed heavily.

"There has to be a way for you to do whatever it is. She wouldn't ask you to do something impossible." Tori said. Jade laughed without humor.

"She might as well have, but that is also the problem. It isn't impossible but I don't want to do it because I am afraid." She said seriously and sat up.

"Well I can't help you until you tell me what it is you need to do." Tori said exasperated. Jade stared at her. Suddenly she hooked her hand around Tori's neck and pulled her forward and kissed her.

"I love you." Jade told her after she backed away. Tori stared at her blankly.

"What?" She asked.

"I love you, and I've loved you for a long time. It almost killed me that I couldn't find you after the bombs were dropped." Jade said in a hushed voice and she started to cry again.

"Oh Jade." Tori murmured sympathetically.

"I understand if you don't feel the same way. I just had to tell you because I promised Cat." Jade sighed.

"It would be a lie if I told you I didn't love you, but is now the time to be in love?" Tori questioned. "I mean, we need to focus on being alive." Jade shook her head.

"Tori, I lost Cat, my parents, everyone; without you, I'm not sure I want to be alive." She inhaled. "I know that seems serious and sudden, but seeing what happened to Cat, seeing how fragile our lives are, I just-" she was speaking faster and faster and Tori pushed her hand against her mouth.

"Shhhhh." Tori hushed her. "It's okay. I love you and you love me and that's all that matters right now." She assured. Jade nodded her head, eyes wide and silent as Tori's dropped from her face. Jade took a shaky breath and the tears continued to fall.

"Thank you." She whispered and wrapped her arms around Tori's waist. Tori rubbed Jade's back and she fell asleep again.

On the third day Tori got Jade out of bed by reminding her that she had to give Cat's message to Robbie. When they entered the group's room they found Robbie lying face down on his cot.

"Robbie?" Tori's soft voice floated over to him and he groaned.

"Go away."

"Robbie I have to tell you something." Jade slowly walked over and sat on the cot beside his.

"I'll get the generator working; I just don't want to get out of bed ever again." He grumbled. Jade stared at the back of his head awkwardly thinking of how to say what she needed to say.

"Cat loved you." She blurted out. Robbie shifted onto his side and looked up at her through raw eyes.

"What?" He croaked.

"She wanted me to tell you, she loved you." Jade reiterated. Robbie's face crumbled as he began to sob.

"Why couldn't she just tell me when she was alive?" He moaned and pulled on his hair in anguish.

"I – I can't tell you, but, she loved you so much Robbie. And she loved you in a very Cat way." Jade sighed. He buried his head back in his arms as his body shook with the force of his grief. Jade swallowed the lump in her throat and Tori watched from the doorway as she stood from the cot and placed her hand on Robbie's back. Tori thought it was the first time Jade willingly touched Robbie in her life.

"It's going to be alright." She encouraged halfheartedly.

"I don't believe you." Robbie replied when Jade reached the doorway.

Jade and Tori walked to the East Tunnel and Jade pointed at a door that was painted different shades of red and pink.

"I need you taking over for Cat starting tomorrow." Jade said quietly. It was hard for her to even say the girl's name.

"What did she do?" Tori asked staring down the darkened hallway. The children had the past few days off from school.

"She took care of all of the kids under four. She ran the daycare." Jade sighed and drifted to the door. She pressed her hand against the rough metal.

"She loved the kids so much." Her fingertips traced the line of paint that had dripped over the doorknob before drying. She twisted the knob and pushed the door open. She flicked the light on and glanced around the room. The last time Jade had been in the daycare room Cat had been reading a book to the kids. She remembered her laughter and the red head begging for her to join them. She had been too _busy_. And now she would never see her again. She would never hear her laugh.

She didn't realize she was crying until Tori intertwined their fingers.

"Tell me you love me." Jade whispered.

"I love you." Tori said.

"Never let me leave without saying it. If anything happens, the last thing I want to be from our lips is that we love each other." She said quietly as the tears slipped down her cheeks. Tori squeezed her hand.

"I love you, Jade." She repeated. Jade smiled sadly.

"I love you too." She exhaled shakily.

_Two Days Later_

Tracy had visited Jade and Tori often. Some heat had finally filtered into the tunnels and she wore a pair of cargo paints with the legs hacked to her knees to form shorts and she tied her jacket around her waist. She treated Tori's healing neck wound and removed the stitches. She made sure that both girls were eating all of their meals everyday and that Tori was gaining weight correctly.

After her daily visit Jade slipped her feet into a pair of combat boots angrily.

"What's wrong?" Tori questioned.

"I have to punish someone today, they betrayed my trust." Jade replied.

"Who?" Tori yanked a comb through the tangles in her hair. She promised herself that she would tell Jade to take her to the river after work that night.

"You'll know soon enough. I've got to get going." She stood up and opened the door.

"I love you." She smiled.

"I love you." Tori answered and blew her a kiss. Jade closed the door behind her and Tori wondered who she would be taking up Aboveground today as she buckled the heavy-duty watch onto her wrist.

She exited the room and walked briskly to the East Tunnel where she had to open the daycare center so that parents could drop of their children and go to work. A petite woman with a sleeping baby in her arms and a toddler sitting at her feet was waiting at the door for her when she arrived.

"Hi Harry." Tori waved at the little boy before opening the door to the room and flipping the switch. The light flickered into life and the boy walked into the room. His mother was always early before other kids because she had to go out with the hunting crew. She handed over the baby and thanked Tori before running off in the opposite direction. Tori shifted the sleeping boy in her arms and sat on the rocking chair in the corner of the room as she watched Harry push a toy truck across the floor.

_Meanwhile_

Jade stomped into the Wing and yanked Tracy out into the hall.

"What are you doing?" Tracy exclaimed. Jade ripped the sleeve of her off-white doctors' jacket up her arm. A crudely inked tattoo in the shape of a "T" with a line through the middle stood out on her arm.

"Fuck you!" Jade seethed. "I trusted you!" She grabbed her and started pulling her out of the Wing.

"I can explain!" Tracy said fearfully.

"I always wondered where you went, how could I be so stupid?" Jade started to jerk her up the stairs of the main Subway exits.

Jade yanked Tracy up the stairs and out into the dusty sunlight.

"You go to her, because you are no longer allowed in the tunnels." She said forcefully.

"You need a doctor!" Tracy insisted smugly.

"We will make do." Jade said.

"Oh, will you?" Tracy and Jade both turned to find Trina holding a gun at them.

"Trina, what are you doing?" Tracy asked, her voice shaking.

"Getting my way." Trina answered. "I cannot wait any longer. I want to get my sister back."

"You cannot just kill Jade to get your way." Tracy said.

"Oh, can't I?" Trina cocked her gun.

"You wouldn't." Tracy maintained.

"Tracy, move out of my way." Trina told her waiving the gun slightly.

"No, I can't let you do this." Tracy stood in front of Jade.

"You think you're going to stop me?" Trina laughed. "You simply hinder me." She pulled the trigger. A shot rang out and Tracy fell back into Jade. Red started to spread across the front of her grey tank top and Jade set her on the ground.

"Why are you doing this?" Tracy coughed trying to find Trina with her eyes.

"Because your usefulness has run its course." Trina aimed the gun at Jade.

"Stand up and back away from her." She instructed. Jade looked up from Tracy's frightened face with rage in her eyes.

"I will not let her die alone." Jade growled. Trina rolled her eyes and pointed her gun at Tracy's head. She pulled the trigger again and Tracy's head exploded. Jade fell back with a scream.

"There, she's dead, stand up and back away from her." She said clearly. Jade lifted her hands and took a step away from Tracy's body.

"Turn around." Jade did as she was told and Trina pressed the gun against her head. With her free hand she restrained Jade's arms behind her back.

"Don't think about running away, only I know where the land mines are." Trina pushed her forward.

"Now walk." She guided her to the school.

XxXxXxX

Tori watched the children play and tried to sooth the colicky baby in her arms.

"Hey Tor, how's your new job?" Andre walked through the door.

"I don't know how Cat did it." Tori sighed and shifted the baby's weight.

"Well, she always had a way with kids." Andre pulled a bag of lollipops from his pocket and started to hand them out among the children.

"Yeah," Tori nodded sadly. "But, hey, how's Tracy? Did you ask her out yet?" She changed the subject. Andre shook his head.

"No, according to the nurse I asked Jade took her Aboveground. I think she needs her to help someone." He lifted a boy into the air. Tori froze.

"What?" She asked.

"Yeah, I don't know." He shrugged.

"Can you cover for me? I have to go do something." Tori settled the infant in her crib. Andre watched her carefully.

"Uh, I guess, yeah." He said.

"Thanks." Tori ran from the room.

When Tori stepped out into the afternoon sun she squinted under the glare. She knew how to get to the school, but she didn't know the land and where it was safe to walk like other Abovegrounders. The only way to the high school that she knew for certainty was the road. Unfortunately, the bombs and other debris made the road an obstacle course and it would likely take her an hour to reach the school. She hardened her shoulders and started walking anyway.

No matter how sweet it was.

She didn't want the last words she said to Jade to be I love you said that morning.


	4. Chapter 4

Tori reached the main entrance to the subway tunnels about forty-five minutes after she started her trek over the rubble. She had a deep gash on her leg from falling through a weak car roof and her shirt was shredded from crawling between sharp rocks. Also, the wound in her neck had reopened. She spotted Tracy but didn't think much of the dead body lying in a pool of blood because it was so common Abovegrounds. She glanced back at the girl on the ground because she looked familiar.

"Oh my God!" Tori stared at her. She was unwilling to risk stepping foot off of the asphalt. Trina's gang had personally planted several land mines in the surrounding area of the school for protection. Only members of her camp knew where to walk and Tori hadn't stayed long enough in the camp to learn. She took a shuddering breath and continued on what felt like the path to Hell.

When she finally made it to the front entrance to the school her body ached and she assessed the newest cut she acquired, this one was on her stomach and she was pretty sure that there was still a piece of metal inside of her. She had slipped and fallen onto a piece of sheet metal. The sharp material sliced through her skin like paper. It hurt a lot but she didn't think anything vital was injured, she was bleeding a lot though and felt faint.

She pushed the door open and walked in. A guard pulled a gun on her.

"Halt!" He said menacingly. He was a tall and burley man and he could easily take her down even without the gun.

"I need to see Trina Vega." She said with her hands in the air.

"She is unavailable at the moment." He told her.

"I am her sister!" Tori said. The man froze and stared at her before a grin suddenly spread over his face.

"Tori Vega, as I live and breathe." He lowered his gun and stepped forward.

"Uhm – do I know you?" She asked warily and put her hands at her side wincing slightly at the movement.

"I was a friend of your father, you know," He cleared his throat, "before the End." She nodded her head and stared at him. He didn't look familiar to her. The man shook his head the grin still in place.

"Wow, she catches Jade West and then her sister comes back. This is her lucky day." The guard said. Tori scowled.

"I need you to take me to her right now." She demanded.

"Yeah, I can't do that." He said. She crossed her arms in order to look menacing but it hurt too much.

"If you don't, I'll tell her you did this to me." Tori gestured to her wounds. The guard's smile dropped and his face hardened.

"Fine," he spat at her, "right this way." He started down the hallway. She was surprised at how empty the place was, she had remembered there being many more people the previous time she had been there. The man stopped at a door and knocked on it.

"I'm a little busy at the moment!" Trina's voice drifted through the wood. The man shrugged at Tori.

"Trina!" Tori yelled and pounded on the door. A few seconds later it was pulled open.

"Tori!" She yelled and threw her arms around her. Tori peaked over her sister's shoulder and saw that Jade was handcuffed to a chair.

"Are you okay? Did she hurt you? I'm so happy to see you!" Trina grinned and babbled on without waiting for any answers. Tori jerked away from her sister.

"I need you to let Jade go." She demanded. Trina stared at her blankly before bursting out in laughter.

"Come on Tor," Trina went to reach for Tori.

"No, let her go." Tori brushed past her older sister and stepped into the room. Jade glanced up.

"Tori." She said softly. Her face was cut up and bloody and her right eye was swollen shut.

"Jade!" Tori hurried over to her and fell to her knees beside Jade. Trina followed her sister in slowly.

"What are you doing?" She asked skeptically.

"Let her go." Tori repeated angrily. Trina shook her head.

"You already said that." She crossed her arms.

"Why are you doing this?" Tori stood up so that she was level with Trina.

"She kidnapped you!" Trina insisted, "And she doesn't let anyone into the tunnels unless she approves, she keeps supplies from those of us living up here, she's an evil bitch!" Trina yelled.

"She didn't kidnap me!" Tori snapped. "She saved me." Trina narrowed her eyes.

"That does not excuse her other actions." Trina said.

"Tori," Jade cleared her throat, "get out of here." Her left eye was brimming with tears.  
"What?" Tori asked in confusion.

"Trina is evacuating the school; I want you to go with her. They're clearing out the state." Jade said urgently. Tori didn't understand, she started to shake her head.

"Don't argue with me Vega." Jade said through her teeth.

"I'm not going to leave you behind." Tori whipped her head around to face Trina.

"Please! Let her go!" She screamed.

"Why?" Trina scoffed, "why do you care so much?"

"Because I love her!" Tori started crying.

"What?" Shock passed over Trina's face.

"I love her," she repeated, "and if you don't take these handcuffs off of her you can forget about me leaving with you." She threatened.

"Tori…" Trina sighed, "fine." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a key.

After unlocking the cuffs Jade stood up and Tori stumbled forward to wrap her arms around her. Jade hugged her back but Tori grimaced in pain.

"What happened to you?" Jade looked over Tori.

"We don't have time for this." Trina reminded.

"Come on let's get out of here. We only have a few days to clear out California." Trina handed both girls a bag and they swung them onto their shoulders. Trina led the way from the school to the subway entrance and she didn't even look at Tracy's body as she walked around it. Jade ignored her as well, but Tori stared. She wondered idly what made her sister kill the girl but she pushed the question to the back of her mind. Right now she needed to focus on getting herself and Jade out of California.

When they reached the tunnels Tori was surprised to find them empty and the fires cold. However, she did not question it and instead pressed on down the East tunnel. It was hours later when Tori could no longer handle her injures; she cried out when her legs gave and she collapsed to the ground.

"Tori, we don't have time for this shit." Her sister grumbled. Jade knelt down beside Tori.

"Shut up Trina! She needs to rest. She is weak and is losing a lot of blood." She lifted up Tori's shirt and looked at the angry red wound on her stomach. It was bleeding profusely and Jade pressed her hand to it. Tori hissed in pain.

"Yeah, well, if we don't keep moving, we're going to be losing our lives." Trina snapped. Jade looked down at Tori's pale face.

"Wrap your arms around my neck." She told the injured girl. At first it appeared that Tori didn't hear her but she lifted her arms weakly and slipped them around Jade's neck. Jade adjusted her arms under Tori's legs and back before hefting her into the air. Tori groaned loudly.

"It's okay, we'll rest soon." Jade reassured in a strained voice. Tori barely had the strength to stay awake let alone the capability to keep her arms around Jade's neck. Several miles later Jade started to slow down.

"Trina." She called out urgently.

"What is it now? We're already moving at a snail's pace." Trina grunted.

"You try carrying a hundred pounds for an hour and a half." Jade spat at her.

"Fine. You get five minutes. We should almost be out of California." Trina leaned against a wall. Jade set Tori on a metal bench.

"Come on Tor, wake up." Jade slapped her cheeks lightly. Tori blinked her eyes open.

"I'm tired." She whined.

"You can't go to sleep." Jade reminded as she dug through the pack Trina had given her. She pulled a water bottle out of the bag and put it to Tori's lips. Tori drank greedily and then leaned her head back and closed her eyes again.

"Is she okay?" Trina asked.

"I don't know." Jade said sadly. She wiped the blood from Tori's face. Tori moaned in pain when Jade cleaned her neck wound.

"Thanks." Trina spoke suddenly.

"For what?" Jade tied a strip of fabric around Tori's knee to keep her leg from bleeding so much.

"Taking care of her." She answered quietly.

"I'm not going to let her die." Jade responded deeply. A heaviness was felt in the air and Jade remembered looking down at Cat as she coughed up blood. She shook her head and returned to treating Tori's wounds with the supplies they had.

Trina allowed for a few extra minutes before insisting that they start moving again. Jade lifted Tori into her arms and they continued moving.


End file.
